We Love So Much, We Give

Day 16 in this Month of Love -- We Love So Much, We Give

What would a Month of Love, with all the beautiful red hearts, chocolates, balloons, greeting cards and all kinds of things that say "I love you" be, without expressing our gratitude to the GREATEST Lover and Giver of them all -- our Father God -- for His GREATEST Gift -- His Son? "For GOD so loved the world (that's YOU and ME) that He gave His ONLY Son, that whoever believes in Him, shall not perish, but have EVERLASTING life." John 3:16. How's that for a LOVER who gave His best gift to you and me?

When I think about so great a love, I can't help but think, "How can we even with the slightest degree love like that? This scripture tells us how: “Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loves is born of God, and knows God.” - 1 John 4:7. If we are in the family of God, we know Him, and knowing Him and spending time with Him, we start to take on His character. We start to look and act like Him. I believe that compassion for others is a real good place to start. It is a gentle stream of tenderness and concern for other people's needs. That love compelled Jesus to feed the hungry, comfort the sorrowing, heal the sick, teach the multitude, and raise the dead. I've experenced that flow of love toward someone, and I'll bet you have, too. You couldn't explain it, but your impulse was to do something special for that person. In fact, you just couldn't help yourself. You just HAD to give.

The first step to loving like God loves is to actually TAKE the first step. We start loving by faith and then we follow that flow. It's really becomes God's compassion flowing toward the one in need. The tug of love within us means that He is filling us with Godly compassion and He has chosen us to help that one. Then we simply ask God to flow His tender compassion through us in some way today. Maybe, as we pray, we should ask Him to lay someone on our heart. What if God wants us to be the answer to someone's prayer today? When God leads us to help someone, He will equip us to do it.

After church last Sunday, a friend told me she was led to start volunteering at Clarehouse. It's a loving home environment that provides end-of-life care. She told me that when she reaches out and touches those who are there, she knows they feel her love flowing from her to them. And, in turn, she leaves feeling so loved and blessed. Just think of it....the heart of compassion, the warmth of a touch. This hurting world is hungry for the touch of someone who cares -- who really cares! Through God's LOVE, you and I can be that someone. We are chips off the ole' block -- and our BLOCK gave to us BIG TIME. Let's reach out and touch someone and GIVE what He's given us....TODAY!